ANDOVER, MASS. (WHDH) - A young woman from Andover is making sweet celebrations possible, helping thousands of children feel special on their birthday.
Hannah Finn started the One Wish Project when she was just 14 years old, and eight years later the organization is still going strong, fulfilling her mission of making sure no child goes unrecognized.
At the nonprofit, volunteers bake personalized cakes and deliver presents to young people experiencing homelessness.
Hannah said the One Wish Project is more than just a birthday cake she’s bringing to the table, it’s a reminder to the kids who receive them that they’re not forgotten.
“Not everyone can relate to being in a homeless shelter or being in a foster care home, or know what it’s like to be bouncing in between homes,” Finn said. “But every single person has a birthday and everyone does deserve to celebrate theirs.”
When Finn started the organization in her family’s kitchen, she used her babysitting money to fund the passion project.
“I loved to bake, wanted to get involved and I thought was an easy way to take what I enjoy doing and help other people,” she said.
Eight years later, the organization has 300 volunteers and is on track to serve 2,000 kids per year.
“We pinch ourselves all the time because she was really going to just do this for a year, and within three months we knew that she had created something very special,” said Executive Director Claudia Mintz.
Mintz, Finn’s mother, took over the day-to-day responsibilities of the organization when Hannah left for college.
With the help of their team, they can customize each cake for the birthday boy or girl; the shelters send along information like their interests and favorite colors.
The organization is hosting their fourth annual Light-a-Candle celebration on June 5 in Andover.
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